Copyright: TaskBar Help v1.09 Copyright c Jon Grieve 1994


Application Tool Bar

When TaskBar is invoked, a tool bar is built, showing all applications currently running.

As it is quite possible to have more than one copy, or instance, of an application running (for example, three copies of the Windows Help system with different help files open), TaskBar uses a 'Tool Tip' style system to display the title of each application.  Using this method, it is possible to identify which copy of an application to select - using the example above, each copy of Help will have the title of it's help file as the title.  The tip for each application appears as the mouse passes over it's icon in the normal way.  The delay between the mouse passing over and icon and the tip appearing can be changed in the Setup Window.

Press any of the TaskBar buttons with the left mouse button to 'Switch To' the appropriate application.

Pressing the right mouse button on any application icon brings up a menu of additional options.  From this menu, the user can 'Switch To', Hide (Minimize) or Kill the application.  A further option - Info - opens the Application Information Window.

Note:  Using the Kill option will 'request' an application to terminate.  If that application has unsaved data, the usual messages should appear requesting whether the data should be saved, etc.  It is not possible to terminate MS-DOS applications using this method.  It is, however, possible to 'Forcefully' terminate applications.  Hold down the Ctrl key when selecting Kill, and TaskBar will use alternate methods to terminate the application.  If this method is used, unsaved data may be lost and system resources may not be released by the application.  MS-DOS applications may be terminated using this method.  As data may be lost, this option should be used with care, and it is advisable to exit and re-start Windows having terminated applications in this manner.

When a Window is Killed, depending on the users preferences in the Setup Window, it's icon is either removed from the application bar, or it's icon is dissabled, as shown.  Here, the Windows Setup application has been terminated.

To access these functions from the keyboard, use the cursor keys (Left, Right, Up, Down, Home and End) to move between applications.  Use Enter to 'Switch To' an application and Space to bring up the menu of options.

Selecting multiple applications

It is also possible to select a number of applications from the tool bar and hide or kill them all in one operation.

To select multiple applications, hold down the Ctrl key whilst clicking on each icon.

Having selected the applications, use the right mouse button to pull down the menu of options to select Hide or Kill.


Contents
TaskBar

Copyright © Jon Grieve 1994

Contents

TaskBar provides a unique replacement for the standard Windows Task Manager.  When invoked, it builds a Tool Bar of all the current Windows applications running.  This bar can be used to 'Switch To' any application  - by simply clicking on it's icon.

TaskBar's functionality goes far beyond that provided by the standard task manager, though.  To access TaskBar's windows and features, select the System Menu.  Below is a summary of the other tools and information windows available.

TaskBar Application Tool Bar

Setup

System Information

Run

TaskBar Gadgets

Application Information

Display Information

Drive Information

Module Information

Ports Information

TaskBar Notes

Troubleshooting

Registering TaskBar


TaskBar Setup
Setup

The TaskBar setup screen comprises four sections, using tabbed dialogs

The General section determines the appearance and behaviour of TaskBar

Exit After Operation

This determines whether TaskBar will terminate after any operation on the applications in the Application Tool Bar.  If this option is not checked, TaskBar only terminates when it loses the focus as the active window.  For example, a number of applications can be killed one after the other without having to reload TaskBar.

3D Menus and Old 3D Style

The general 3D appearance of TaskBar includes the option to have 3D Menus.  Some of the controls that have a 3D appearance - check boxes and radio (or option) buttons - can have one of two 'looks'.  For example, the old style check box uses a cross to show a 'true' state, whereas the newer version has a tick to show 'true'.

Note:  Changes to 3D settings do not take effect until TaskBar is next started.

Kill Removes Button

This option determines whether killed applications are removed from the Application Tool Bar - and the list of available icons is rebuilt - or whether TaskBar disables their icon.  When used in conjunction with the Exit After Operation option, TaskBar can be used to quickly 'clear up' a number of applications running - by killing each one individually, without having to wait for icons to be rebuilt or waiting for TaskBar to restart.

Max Horizontal

When building the application icons, TaskBar will only allow this number of icons before starting a new line below.  Without this option, TaskBar could build a bar of icons wider than the physical screen.  Normally, a setting of around 3-5 provides a sensible bar.  A setting of 1 will produce a vertical bar.

Note:  The Max Horizontal setting can be overidden by TaskBar in the situation that a bar built using the current MaxHorizontal setting will not fit onscreen.  For example, if the MaxHorizontal is set to 1, to effectively provide a vertical tool bar, and this bar becomes too tall to fit onscreen, the MaxHorizontal will temporarily be set to 2, so the bar will fit.  At the point the bar shrinks agin, the MaxHorizontal will be returned to 1.

Exit

Determines how TaskBar behaves at the point it exits.  Selecting Unload forces TaskBar to fully unload from memory.  Selecting Hide forces TaskBar to stay resident in memory, and to simply hide it's window from view.  Selecting Hide means that subsequent re-loads of TaskBar should take less time.

The Popup section determines the appearance and behaviour of the 'tips' used in the Application Tool Bar, to show the application titles.

Colours

Select either Windows or User defined, to determine the colour scheme TaskBar uses for the Tool Tips on the Application Tool Bar.  If Windows is selected, TaskBar uses the current colours for Active Title Bar and Active Title Bar Text from the Control Panel.  If User defined is selected, use the Fore and Back buttons to select a colour scheme.

Moving the mouse over the Test panel shows and example title in the colour scheme chosen.

Delay

Shows the number of milliseconds TaskBar waits before showing the application title 'tip' for an icon after the mouse moves over that icon.

Shadow

Determines the 'depth' of the ToolTip shadow.  Use 0 for no shadow.

Use the Test panel to try different settings.

The Options section allows shortcut access to commonly used functions.

Caption Click

TaskBar will 'capture' mouse Right and Double-click events on it's caption, and will open the appropriate window, as defined from the two lists available.

Options on System Menu

Determines whether TaskBar includes all it's available options on the System Menu.  If this option is not selected, one of the Caption Click events should be set to open the TaskBar Options window, otherwise options are only accessable through hot keys.

Note:  Disabling Options on System Menu will reduce the load time of TaskBar, although only by a fraction of a second (depending on machine speed).

The Modules section determines the way the modules are displayed in the Modules window.

Bitmaps

Determines what Bitmaps are shown in the list of loaded modules, and how the Bitmaps are determined.  The method chosen also effects the amount of time the Modules window takes to load.  The available options are:

None

No Bitmaps are shown.

Determine from Extension

The Bitmap is determined based on the extension of the modules filename, for example, .EXE for applications, .DLL for libraries, .DRV for drivers, etc.

Determine from File

The Bitmap is determined based on the file type stored in the actual module file.  Using this method provides far greater detail, in that drivers, for example, are identified correctly as Mouse driver, Display driver, Printer driver, etc.

It should be noted, however, that using this method greatly increases the amount of time required to build the list of modules, as each file is opened individually to determine the file type.  If the load is taking too long, select 'Determine from Extension'.


Application Information

The Application Information window shows programming information about the selected Window and Module.

Window

The Window frame shows the applications Handle (hWnd) and Caption, Task Handle (hTask), Instance Handle (hInst) and, if possible, the Parent - i.e. the application this was 'run from'.  In some cases the Parent application may not be found if, for example, it is no longer running.  If this is the case, the Parent's handle is still shown, but no module name is shown.

Module

The Module frame shows the applications Module Handle (hModule) and executable path.

From this window, it is also possible to access the Module Information Window, Heap Information Window and Module Usage Window.


Modules List
Modules Window

The Modules window shows all the modules currently loaded in memory.

Modules Bitmaps

The Bitmaps shown next to the loaded modules are optional.  In Setup, the option is set as to what Bitmaps are shown, if any.  See the Help section on the Setup Window for more information.

Info

Opens the Module Information Window

Heap

Opens the Heap Information Window

Usage

Opens the Module Usage window.

Unload

Removes a module from memory.  Potentially, this can be a usefull feature for freeing Windows memory, but it can also be a very destuctive feature.  Unloading important Windows drivers will cause the system to crash, so this function should be used with caution.

Compact

The Compact Button will compact Windows memory.

List

Allows the contents of the modules list to be 'narrowed down' to specific types of modules.

Standard:  Module types can be selected from a list of common types, for example Programs, Drivers, Libraries, etc. (*).

Custom:  User-defined 'masks' can be specified.  The selection of modules is made based on the extension of the modules filename.  For example, entering a Custom mask of .CPL will list any Control Panel applets currently loaded.  Custom Masks can contain multiple extensions, seperated by a semicolon.  Key in the mask, then press Apply to rebuild the module list.

* Note:  Additional entries can be added to the Standard section, by editing TaskBar's INI file.  Any entries under the [ModuleTypes] heading are included.  Entries have the following format:

{description}={extension-1}[;{extension-2};.....{extension-n}]

Where {description} is the entry shown in the Standard list and {extension} is the 'filespec' applied to the module list.  For example:

Libraries=.DLL;.VBX

Note, the first entry for ModuleTypes is assumed to be the default.


Module Information

Module Information shows programming information about a module

The window includes the Module Handle (hModule) and Module Name, the Module Filename, Size and Date, the reference Count, the Version (*) and module Type.

Some modules do not contain Version and Type information, therefore these two values may be blank.

* Note:  The Version shown is the version reported in the modules file.  This may not correspond directly to the version number a module reports to the Windows user via, for example, an About... box.


Module Heap Information
Heap Information

This window shows details of a Module's heap

The window shows the Module Handle (hModule) and Module Name and a list of the memory used by the module, split into the appropriate resource types (*).

The display shows the Total memory used by the module, and the amount of memory used that is marked as discardable.

Verbose

Verbose mode shows all objects for the module, not just totals by category.  Discardable objects are marked with an asterisk.

* Note: The possible resourse types are:
Accelelerator
Burger Master
Bitmap
Code
Cursor
DGroup
Data
Dialog
Error table
Font
Icon
Internal
Menu
Module
Name table
Private
Resource
Sentinel
String
Task
User


Run

The Run window is used to execute applications

Key in the path of an application, or select from the history of most recently run applications from TaskBar, then hit Run to execute it.  Multiple applications can be run using a single command line, by separating each application path with a comma.  For example:   clock.exe,calc.exe,write.exe,pbrush.exe,control.exe.... etc.

The Browse button can be used to search for an application.

Style

When an application is executed, Style determines the initial 'state' of the window; either Normal - The window appears 'open', Minimized - The window appears iconic at the bottom of the desktop, or Maximized - The window appears in it's maximized state.

Focus

Determines whether the application will become the current topmost window when executed.  If this option is not checked, the window will appear, but will be positioned at a point 'below' TaskBar.

Diags

Produces diagnostic information when the task has been executed.  A message appears showing the amount of memory used by the application, how much the System, GDI and User resources have changed and the amount of time taken to load the application.


System Information

The Sytem Information window shows the current system versions, machine type, Windows mode, Windows resources and memory.

The Resources and Memory displays are real time, that is they are updated once a second while this window is visible.  The Compact Button can be used to free Windows memory.

From this window, other Information windows are accessible, as detailed below.

Display Information

Ports Information

Drives Information

Module Information


Ports Information
Port Information

The Ports information for lists all communications ports supported, and shows the status of any of those ports

Selecting a port from the list available will show the Baud rate, Data Bits, Parity and Stop Bits.


Display Information

The Display Information window shows details of the current video driver loaded.

The window shows the Driver Name (as reported in the Windows Setup program), Resolution (in pixels and in millimeters), the Driver Version and Colour capabilities.


Drives Information
Drive Information

The Drive Information window displays space information for all available drives.  At the point the window is loaded, a tool bar is built, showing buttons for all available drives.

When a drive is selected, the free and total space for the drive are retrieved once a second - producing a real-time display of available space.  This display can prove helpful to monitor disk space during, for example, large copies or downloads via modem, where running out of disk space usually requires the process to be started again from scratch.  A percentage bar shows the amount of space available on the drive.

Note:  The drive information window can become very wide, when the machine is attached to a network, where many drives (usually for the same network volume) are available.


About TaskBar
TaskBar

Copyright © Jon Grieve 1994

About TaskBar

TaskBar started as a simple Task Manager replacement but, as with most quick and simple projects, just one more piece of functionality was added here and there, until the end result bared little or no resemblance to the original concept.

TaskBar is written entirely in Visual Basic for Windows, but relies heavily on the Windows API and other third party tools to produce the end result - by either breaking or bending the rules, and always providing functionality beyond Visual Basic's.  Below is a list (in no particular order) of the tools used.

VBX's

VBCtl3D by Bernd Beekes and Jeff Simms.  Provides the overall 3D look in all TaskBar windows.

VBMsg by JOSWare, Inc.  Windows and custom message control.

TabFrame, ToolTip and ToolBar by GC Consulting Services.  Provide the tabbed look to the Setup Window, Tool Tips in the Application Tool Bar, Setup and Drive Information windows, and the tool bar of drive icons in the Drives Information window.

DLL's

VBASM.DLL by SoftCircuits Programming.  To retrieve the drive types and space in the Drives Information window and general pointer manipulation.

BTTNCUR.DLL by Microsoft.  To draw and maintain the Application Tool Bar images and buttons.

Contacting the Author

The author can be contacted by the following means:

e-Mail:	CompuServe	100102,145
Internet 	100102.145@compuserve.com

Jon Grieve

Copyright

TaskBar is Copyright (c) 1994 Jon Grieve.  All Rights Reserved.

TaskBar is provided free for an evaluation period of 30 days.  After this period, the user is expected to register the software or destroy all copies of it.  Note that TaskBar is protected by copyright law.

All other product names may be copyright and registered or unregistered trademarks / tradenames of their respective owners.


Compacting Memory
Compact Windows Memory

The Compact Button will release any memory objects marked as discardable.  It does this by requesting that Windows free enough memory to create an object twice the size of the actual memory present - and then not creating that object.  The amount of free memory reported by Windows does not drop, as it already takes into account discardable objects.

The only real gain from Compacting memory, is to provide the maximum amount of free contiguous memory.  As soon as the Compact operation is complete, any operations will require that Windows reloads most of it's resources from either the swap file or from executable files and DLL's - which usually increases the amount of time subsequent operations take to perform.


Registering TaskBar
TaskBar - Shareware Version

Copyright © Jon Grieve 1994

TaskBar is distributed under the Shareware concept.  If you like TaskBar, and would like to continue using it, please take the time to register it.

Registration brings these benefits:
- No more Nag screens.
- Free updates to all releases of this version and reduced price upgrades to future major releases.
- The ability to contribute to the further development of TaskBar, by submitting your ideas and requests for future enhancements.

Registration

Registration costs only $20.  To register TaskBar, you can use any of the following methods:

CompuServe	GO SWREG, quoting ID #4377
e-Mail	CompuServe	100102,145
Internet	100102.145@compuserve.com


System Menu

The System Menu provides access to standard Task List features (Arrange Icons, Cascade and Tile Windows), TaskBar Setup and About, Run, System Info and options to terminate and restart Windows.

Short-cut keys may be used from the Application Tool Bar.


Allows keyboard users to move the TaskBar main window.


Exit TaskBar


What can I say - You're in it!


Forces TaskBar to rebuild the Application Tool Bar


Exit Windows

Closes all applications, then exits Windows

Restart Windows

Closes all applications, then exits and restarts Windows

Reboot System

Closes all applications, then exits Windows and warm boots the machine.


Standard Task List features:

Arrange Icons

Arranges any applications running in an 'iconic' or minimized state

Cascade and Tile

Arranges all applications running in a 'normal' or windowed state


Module Usage
Module Usage Window

The window shows the status of a loaded Module.

Info

Opens the Module Information Window


TaskBar Gedgets
TaskBar Gadgets

The benefit of having Gadgets is that frequently used features can be accessed simply and quickly via TaskBar, without wasting resources by having permanently loaded applications and modules.

TaskBar CD Player

Common Audio CD controls provide the standard support found on most HiFi CD Players.

The CD Player controls behave as follows:

Play will start the CD playing at it's current position.

Stop will stop playback, and return the CD to the beginning of the first track.

Pause will pause the CD playback.  Pressing Pause again will continue from the current position.

Previous will advance to the beginning of the current track.  If pressed again, whilst at the beginning of a track, Previous will go to the beginning of the previous track.  If the current track is the first track, Previous will 'wrap round' to the last track.

Next Advances to the next track.  If the current track is the last track, Next will 'wrap round' to the first track.

Fwd and Rew will advance (in either direction) a few seconds, play a small burst of audio, then continue.  This way, the disk can be 'scanned'.

Eject will open and close the CD drive door.  If the drive does not support the eject function, nothing will happen.

The 'Plus' and 'Minus' buttons adjust the sensitivity of the L.E.D. ladders.

See Troubleshooting for further details of the CD Player and it's 'quirks'.


Troubleshooting

TaskBar

Q:  When I envoke TaskBar as the Task Manager, there is a pause before the tool bar of icons is shown?

A:  Delayed load times are attributable to a number of factors:

-  Whenever a Visual Basic applications is loaded, it's associated runtime (VBRUN300.DLL) is also loaded - this can take a short time.  In addition to this, any VBX's and DLL's used by TaskBar are also loaded.

- As TaskBar loads, it scans all possible windows, discarding any that are not top level and any that are hidden or disabled.  Depending on the applications loaded on your system, the total number of window TaskBar has to 'consider' for inclusion can be quite high.  For example, the Program Manager window will be included, but all it's child windows (i.e. the Groups) are checked and ignored.

CD Player

Q:  Whenever the CD Player is loaded, an error is reported saying the Audio CD is unavailabable.

A:  The CD Player uses the Windows [MCI] CD Audio driver to control the CD-ROM.  If this driver is not installed in the Control Panel, or if another application is using the driver, TaskBar cannot control the CD-ROM.

Q:  When using the Next button, the current position moves to the end of the current track, not to the beginning of the next track.

A:  The Next button uses the CD-ROM driver to move it's position.  Sometimes, the driver sets an incorrect position.  Pressing the Next button again will often find the track correctly.


TaskBar Notes

Following are notes, describing some of the different 'quirks' and uses of TaskBar.

TaskBar detects whether it has been run as the Windows Task Manager - via Ctrl-Esc, selecting 'Switch To' from an applications system/control menu or by Double-clicking the desktop.  Depending on this, TaskBar behaves slightly differently to Windows events,as decribed below:

Running TaskBar as the Task Manager

If TaskBar loses the focus, that is, another window becomes the active window, it will terminate if running as the Task Manager.

TaskBar checks to see if the application tool bar requires a rebuild after any of TaskBar's windows (About, Setup, Run, System Info, etc.) have been displayed.  It does this by counting the number of active tasks before and after the window is displayed.  If the number has changed, a rebuild is done.  This method is used for speed, and is far from perfect as a new application can be run and an existing application terminated, and therefore the number of tasks will not have changed.  If this problem occurs, use the Rebuild option from the TaskBar's System Menu to force a rebuild.

Running TaskBar as a regular Windows application

If TaskBar is not run as the Task Manager, it will save and restore it's window position as it loads and unloads, therefore the bar will always appear at a fixed position on the screen.

If TaskBar looses the focus, it will not terminate.

TaskBar uses a timer to check if rebuilds are necessary.  Once a second, TaskBar checks the number of active tasks, and if the number changes, the application tool bar is rebuilt.  Effectively, TaskBar maintains a 'real-time' bar of applications.

See the section below on running TaskBar as a regular application and as the Task manager.

Running multiple copies or instances of TaskBar

It is not possible to run more than one copy of TaskBar simultaneously on a single machine.  If TaskBar is started and finds a 'previous' instance of itself, that copy is 'found' and brought to the front of the active findows and given the focus.

Running TaskBar as a regular application and as the Task Manager

It is possible to run TaskBar, for example, in the Windows Startup group, and to configure it as the Task Manager.  If this is done, the regular copy of TaskBar will be loaded at all times, building a 'real-time' bar of applications, and the Task Manager version, when invoked, will detect a previous instance and give that copy the focus.  Effectively, the Task Manager copy will be used as a quick access method to find the existing copy.